Thanks a Bundle…

The old adage “I suffered for my art” describes many poor or forgotten artists, poets, composers, etc but it seems even more pertinent in the digital age. It is mildly sad that we don’t cherish someone’s time or trade any more because the digital age allows us easy access with mass copying and easier distribution.

There is no doubt in my mind that the eBook revolution has empowered authors and writers to self-publish in their 10’s of thousands. It’s a liberating experience and cuts out all those “middle men/women” that want a cut for their work. We no longer need a long drawn out process to get our books “out there”… or do we?

Self-publishing is relatively easy now with the Internet but that’s only part of the process.

The down side is making it easy also makes the book sales market a very saturated and competitive place to trade. Consequently there is just a very small chance of breaking through the large Indie pack. So do we make money? Whilst most authors would say they write for the love of it, many would (when pushed) would also like to think that their effort can make them a living or at least compensate for the 1000’s of hours writing a fully fledged novel. That’s not an unreasonable dream I think.

Of course, no matter how good a book is, the reality is many Indie authors will struggle to break their books into the mainstream distribution channels such as Book-shops, newspapers, glossy mags or get a top position with Amazon, iBooks or Waterstones, etc. It’s sad but true!

Often we authors can feel frustrated and our hopes dashed by the burden, time and cost that is required to promote your book. Work that in “old school” would be done by the Publisher. There are quite a lot of online initiatives to help the growing number of Indie Authors, some are free, others charge and a few take commission on sales. There is no “one-size” fits all.

Speak to several Indie authors and they all have their favourite way of publishing or marketing. It’s a mine-field and a costly one at that requiring upfront costs, high risk and no guarantee of sales.I have seen authors giving away PDF versions, free kindle editions and just offering bundles to “raise awareness” of their work. Often authors are truly giving away their work for free or a pittance.

I am not sure it works most of the time for Indie Authors. The theory that Free means more sales later is hard to believe for most of us because there are just too many books available. Granted it is an age-old marketing ploy to offer “loss leaders” so it may work for a few. And it seems that this “free model + advertising revenue” has boomed since the Internet age. There seems to be a perception that all creative downloads are free. Well someone has to create that content, story, image, recipe, music, video, etc… and it can takes hours, days, months and years to achieve.

I don’t know what the answer is in terms of making a living from your craft (or break even point even) but no doubt we will succumb to it as normal. Will this almost impossible goal of commercial success stop us from being creative? Of course not. For as long as humans can create, dream and hope there will be an abundance of art and crafts to amaze us – it is what makes life interesting after all.

Publishing a Book… Indie or Trad’ ?

Seth Godin, a bestselling author, blogger, and publishing visionary, provides a realistic look at the pros and cons of the decision between traditional and indie publishing.

He asks authors to consider their goals for their book and for your career. I note the comment about Trad’ publishers ‘ never exceeding’ the author’s expectations.

» Seth Godin runs the Author Learning Center (YouTube)

Be Careful of Self Publishing Pitfalls

Going Indie? Watch Out for Predators

Original: CreateSpaceBlogger Oct 2012

I’m a big fan of self-publishing because it gives anyone the opportunity to fulfill his or her dream of becoming an author. However, authors must watch out for the unscrupulous types who prey on unsuspecting writers who are so eager to see their work in print that they get, for lack of a more gentle term, ripped off.

“Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own. Carol Burnett”

Here are three types of predatory behavior to watch out for when selecting vendors. Run for the hills if you encounter any of the following:

1. Promises of success: Any self-publishing company that guarantees it will make your book a best seller is lying. Would you work with a bookie who guaranteed a horse was going to win a race? Or a stock broker who guaranteed a certain stock was going to skyrocket? I certainly hope not. No one can predict the future.

2. Purchase requirements: Many indie authors end up working with self-publishing companies that require them to buy thousands of copies of their own work. The vast majority of the books end up collecting dust in a garage, and the duped author is out thousands of dollars. In today’s print-on-demand world, buying large quantities of your book upfront shouldn’t be a requirement.

3. Exclusivity: Before choosing a company to help you publish your book, make sure that if someone were to call you tomorrow and offer you another publishing opportunity, you have the option to accept it and walk away cleanly. If you don’t sign away your rights, you’ll be in the position to weigh your options carefully and make the decision that’s best for you and your book.

Quick tip: before committing to a vendor, type the company name into a search engine and see what others around the web are saying. When reaching out to vendors for more information, be sure to ask about each of the above points so you have a clear understanding of their business practices, which ultimately will help you make a more educated decision on a publishing partner.

c/o Maria Murnane [ CreateSpace ].

My best selling thriller book… You can but dream!

Book author’s, like songwriters, singers, musicians and writers of screenplays want a bestseller, a chance to show off their work to an adoring eager audience. We want to be accredited for our creative skill. Some want to be famous. Some to get rich on their talent… some may want all three!

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If you are an independent writer and publisher, you can but dream…

My crazy web designer thought it would be a jolly prank to mock up a few ‘real’ images of people showing they have excellent taste in buying my new crime and thriller books… see what you think. (No offense meant of course).

Words, once they are printed, have a life of their own. Carol Burnett

You can find and buy thriller books by Percy Chattey on Amazon.

10 Things You Need to Know About Self-Publishing

There is a FREE eBook available to Indie Authors and Publishers:  GET IT NOW…

This free guide will get you up to speed quickly on 10 of the most important things you need to know to self-publish successfully. And it will help you avoid a ton of newbie mistakes, too!

Quick Quote : “I do not like to write – I like to have written.” Gloria Steinem

Self Published Books : Perpetual Promotion

OK, I am new to this self-publishing / independent author journey. So as well as trying to complete my latest book “The Black Venus” (a fast moving new crime thriller book) I am researching and learning about promoting my books… Wow! What a minefield and steep learning curve it is too!

Like many I am using the Amazon site “CreateSpace.com” to help launch, publish and promote my thriller books. It is a MASSIVE resource for authors and self publishers.

Perpetual Promotion:

I discovered from Brian Jud (written 17 books) that once your book is available for sale to the public you enter into the stage of perpetual promotion. By this he means you are nurturing and helping your indie book get noticed, it’s organic and the following has to grow. You cannot just do a quick book launch and that’s it… NO! Promoting books (or any online product) relies on ON-GOING MARKETING across many channels (on-line and off-line) to your target readers.

So it’s a long haul, requires time, focus and a new way of achieving a buzz … So no instance fame or fortune for me then! Just as well I do this writing for fun and enjoy it … to make a living or help towards the bills would be nice though.

» https://www.createspace.com/en/community/docs/DOC-2001